Techno - SAD Light Hire

Techno
Don't be SAD
People who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
can brighten up their environment using a special lightbox.
George Cole spotlights what’s on the market
I
Jargon buster
● LED Light-emitting diode A type of
lamp used by some lightboxes
● Lux A measure of light intensity.
Home lighting is around 300 to 500
lux, a lightbox 10,000 lux, and a bright,
sunny day 100,000 lux
● Melatonin A hormone found in the
brain that is produced during darkness
and helps us sleep. People with SAD
often have higher than normal levels
of melatonin during the winter.
Light therapy can help lower levels
of melatonin
● Neurotransmitter A chemical in the
brain which carries messages
● SD card A memory card about the
size of a postage stamp
● Serotonin A neurotransmitter.
People suffering from SAD tend to
have lower levels of serotonin than
non-sufferers in the winter months
● UV filter An ultra-violet filter. This
helps protect the eyes from UV light.
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T’S THE time of the year when the
nights are drawing in and the prospect
of dark mornings is coming ever closer.
Many of us find that the decreasing
daylight hours at this time of the year
dampen our spirits, but for a sizeable
minority, the long, dark, winter months
can trigger a condition known as Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD).
SAD is form of depression, thought to
affect around seven per cent of the UK
population (gardener Monty Don is a
well-known sufferer). A milder version,
known as the Winter Blues, affects
around 18 per cent of people.
It can cause a variety of symptoms
including, lethargy, irritability, poor
concentration, overeating, and a
suppressed immune system, leading to an
increased risk of infection.
SAD is thought to be caused by a
number of factors, including a biochemical
imbalance in the brain, triggered by the
shortening daylight hours, or by
disruption to the body clock, which
determines whether we feel alert or sleepy.
It can be treated in several ways, including light therapy, which has been found
to be effective for around 85 per cent of
sufferers. By using a lightbox – a light
source that is typically ten times brighter
than average household lighting – the
light levels we normally experience in the
spring can be mimicked, which helps
combat the effects of SAD. The lightbox
sits a short distance away and bathes the
user in bright light, but using a lightbox
isn’t like being in a tanning studio – you
can get on with doing things, so long as
you remain within the operating range.
Dawn simulators (natural alarm clocks)
are designed to wake you up naturally,
and work by slowly ‘fading up’ the light.
Whats on the market
All prices include VAT. If your doctor
prescribes a lightbox, you might be able to
buy one without VAT.
Dawnlight Natural Alarm Clock £79.95
Prepare yourself for a gentle wake-up with
this dawn simulator that can be set at 15, 30,
45 and 90-minute intervals. There’s also a
snooze function and bleeper option, and it
can be used as a dimmable reading light.
■ SAD Lightbox Company, tel: 0845 095
6477 (www.sad.uk.com)
Diamond 5 £265
A 10,000 lumen lightbox that can be tilted
forwards and backwards, and includes a
carry handle. This is ideal for anyone who
is short on time, because a treatment
session lasts just 20 to 30 minutes.
■ SAD Lightbox Company, tel: 0845 095
6477 (www.sad.uk.com)
LitePod £135.13
A lightbox compact enough to sit on a
desk, table or bedside cabinet. It has a
10,000 lux rating and suggested treatment
is 60 minutes per day.
■ SAD Lightbox Company, tel: 0845 095
6477 (www.sad.uk.com)
CHOICE OCTOBER 2010
Lumie Arabica £99.95 (above right)
A lightbox with a 10,000 lux rating, the
Arabica is typically used for 90 minutes at
a distance of 50cm. It includes a built-in
handle and weighs less than 2kg.
■ Tel: 01954 780500 (www.lumie.com)
Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 £59.95 (below right)
This dawn simulator offers 30-minute
sunrise and sunset settings, for a gentle
wake-up or sleep. There’s also a bleeper
option, snooze feature and power failure
backup, and it can also be used as dimmable
bedside lighting.
■ Tel: 01954 780500 (www.lumie.com)
Lumie Bodyclock Elite 300 £149.99 (above centre)
A dawn simulator packed with features
including sunset and sunrise modes that be
programmed at 15, 30, 60 and 90-minute
intervals, AM/FM radio, MP3 playback (from
SD memory cards), sounds for sleep or
wake-up (including waves and dawn chorus),
guided sleep meditation tracks, backup
bleeper and power failure backup.
■ Tel: 01954 780500 (www.lumie.com)
Philips goLite Blu £210.33 (below left)
Measuring just 14cm high by 13.5cm wide
and 2.5cm deep, and weighing only 360g,
the goLite Blu is claimed to be the world’s
smallest light therapy product. It uses LED
lighting and has a 10,000 lux rating. This
highly portable lightbox offers up
to eight 20-minute sessions on
a fully charged battery.
■ SAD Light
Hire Company, tel: 01704 500505
(www.sad-lighthire.co.uk)
Philips Wake-Up Light £130 (above left)
Another product that promises you a
gentle wake-up. The Wake-Up Light has a
300 lux rating, FM radio and natural sounds
(such as birds and waves). It includes an
energy-saving lamp with a life expectancy
of around seven years.
■ Tel: 0800 331 6015 (www.philips.co.uk)
Diamond 4 £257.33
The Diamond 4’s 10,000 lumens rating
means treatment time is just 20 to 30
minutes. It can be tilted and has a curved
shape which focuses the light for maximum
effect. It also includes a carry handle.
■ SAD Light Hire Company, tel: 01704
500505 (www.sad-lighthire.co.uk).
10 top tips
1. Some doctors are not that knowledgeable about SAD, and you might want to
contact an organisation such as SADA for
further advice (see panel above)
2. Lightboxes are not available on the
NHS, but if your doctor prescribes one,
you can claim VAT. Some light therapy
products (such as dawn simulators) might
not be exempt from VAT. Make sure your
lightbox is certified as a medical device. If
it isn’t, it might not help your condition
3. Check the lightbox
conforms to European Standards
(evidenced by a CE mark
relating to medical devices).
The treatment should be
proved from evidence
obtained in clinical trials
4. Lightboxes that can be
Diamond 4
SADA
If you suffer from SAD and would like
more information or support, the
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Association (SADA) can help. SADA is a
voluntary organisation and registered
charity with around 1500 members.
Members can receive telephone support,
newsletters (including news about the
latest SAD treatment and research) and
attend an annual general meeting, which
includes specially invited speakers.
■ For more details, write to: SAD Association,
PO Box 989, Steyning BN44 3HG, enclosing
an SAE, or you can go to the website:
(www.sada.org.uk).
tilted to enable the light to be directed
more precisely. Check the lightbox’s lux
level and operating distance
5. Deciding how frequently to use it is a
case of trial and error. You should be
prepared to adjust the manufacturer’s
advice, for example using the box both in
the early morning and in the late afternoon
6. If you have a busy lifestyle, you might
want to consider lightboxes offering a
very high light intensity, as these typically
only require 20 to 30 minutes’ treatment
7. Check if the lightbox has a UV filter
8. If possible, try to get a home trial to
ensure the lightbox is right for you
9. Renting a lightbox is another option.
See (www.sad-lighthire.co.uk)
10. Portable lightboxes mean you can use
them away from home.
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